Overview
- Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was indicted on abuse of power for reversing a preliminary Marine probe and on a separate count for aiding a suspect’s flight by engineering ex-Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup’s posting to Australia.
- The indictment details alleged instructions to expedite Lee’s ambassadorship and the removal of a travel ban, involving the presidential office, the Foreign Ministry and the Justice Ministry.
- Investigators concluded former Marine 1st Division commander Lim Seong-geun’s reckless orders were a decisive cause of Cpl. Chae Su-geun’s 2023 death, and Lim faces negligence charges after his earlier arrest.
- Of the 33 people charged, 13 are accused of interfering with the military probe, six of facilitating Lee’s departure, five CIO officials of dereliction of duty, and five of responsibility for the death, including senior figures such as Cho Tae-yong and Park Sung-jae.
- The five-month inquiry included 185 raids, more than 300 interviews and forensics on over 430 devices, with the special counsel pledging support for prosecutions and transferring a related dereliction case to the CIO.